Eating implement



Feb. 19, 1935. I J, slNDLER I 1,991,871

EATING IMPLEMENT Filed March 16, 1934 JOHN DOE INN 1720622602; rfa rf.51722767; W WW.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 1,991,871

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE EATING IMPLEMENT Jay J. Sindler, Malden,Mass Application March 16, 1934, Serial mi. 115,911

2 Claims. (01. 30-5) This invention pertains to eating implements end tothe other and merging at one end into the and relates more particularlyto an implement relatively broad handle portion 2] At its opuseful forpicking up and conveying to the mouth posite end the shank merges into apoint, prefarticles of food such, for example, as olives, chererablyhaving a sharp tip 3, and having corruries, etc. which are commonly usedas garnishes gations or teeth 4 at its opposite edges above or 5 forfood or drinks and which by reason of their rearwardly of the tip, suchteeth or corrugations shape, or of the shape of the dish or glass informing barbsor retaining elements for'securely which the food or drinkis served, are troubleholding a cherry which has been speared on some topick up and'carryto the mouth. As a the point. While these teeth are notalways specific example, the dimculty of securing a essential I- preferto employ them or equivalent 10 cherry resting at the bottom of a.cocktail glass, elements, as it is obviously desirable to preventwithout resorting to boorish antics obnoxious to the cherry from fallingand staining the tablepeople accustomed to politesocial usages is socloth or the users apparel on its way from the well known as to havebecome a matter ofpublic glass to the mouth. I

comment and jest v The implement thus described may conven- 5 Theprincipal object of the presentinvention is iently be made from a pieceof thin wood or, if to provide an implement especially designed topreferred, from compressed paper fiber, celluloid, facilitate the readyremoval of a cherry or the or other materia1,.-usually such as may beoblike from the bottom of a deep glass or other contained in sheet formof the desiredthickness, and

tainer, although the implement, in a preferred from which the implementmay bemade by a 20 embodiment, may have other utilities as well. cuttingor stamping process. If wood, paper or While the invention may, ifdesired, be emother fibrous cellulosic material be employed, it bodiedin metal, for example silver, for use as may be waterproofed in anyusual manner, if a permanent addition to the usual table service,desired, and obviously, the material, of'whatever I prefer to make it ofsome inexpensive material, nature, may be stained or colored with aharm- 25 for example, wood, compressed paper, celluloid, less andpermanent stain or pigment if it be deor the like, so that after one useit may be sired to do so. Preferably the tip 3 of the point discarded.When thus made of wood or other of the implement tapers both in plan andelecellulosic and/or cheap material, I contemplate vation, as shown byreference to Figs. 1 and 2,

v so shaping the handle portion of the implement although it is notessential that the point taper 30 as to give it a secondary utility, forexample, in more than one plane. The teeth or corrugato provide aconvenient surface for the reception tions 4 which form the barbs mayform the sides of advertising matter or to serve as a paddle or ofsimple, symmetrical indentations, or V- spoon-like element which, uponreversal of the notches, or may be cut or otherwise formed so implement,may be used for eating ice cream that they lean backward'toward thehandle in 35 or other soft foods. order better to retain a cherry whichhas been In the accompanying drawing wherein I have impaled on thepoint. I contemplate that the illustrated one desirable embodiment ofthe innumber of teeth or corrugations may be varied vention by way ofexample as desired, and that if preferred the point may 40 Fig. 1 is aplan view of a preferred form of my be of the more or less triangularshape as illus- 40 improved implement; trated at 3 in Fig. 5, or of thesubstantially dia- Fig.2 is an edge elevation of the implement; mondshape illustrated at 3' in Fig. 6. In the Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofa glass illustrating latter instances instead of the teeth or corrugathemode of using the implement to remove a tions on the edges, Imay, ifdesired, slit the point Cherry the like from the bottom of he glass; asshown at 4 or provide it with transverse ribs 45 Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryplan view illustrating as shown at 4 to enhance the retaining action. amodification of the handl e portion of the im- However, whateverspecific shape be employed plement; it should be such that there will beno substan- Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views illustrating tial dangerthat the point will be broken off in modifications of the point of theimplement; and the cherry or in the mouth of the user. 50

Fig. 7 is a composite view illustrating typical The handle 2 ispreferably substantially flat, transverse sections of the implement.that is its front "and rear faces are substantially Referring to thedrawing, the numeral 1 desigparallel and at the junction of the handleand nates the elongate shaft or shank portion of the shank fillets 5 arepreferably provided. If the 65 implement, preferably tapering slightlyfrom one handle has flat surfaces, such surfaces may conveniently beemployed for the reception of advertising. matter, as illustrated at 6.Altematively, one or both of the faces of the handle may be concaved ordished so as to facilitate gripping the handle between the thumb andfinger of the user. By reversing the implement and seizing it by theshank 1, the broad handle portion 2 may be employed as a spoon or paddlefor use in eating ice cream or the like, the concavity of the oppositefaces (if they are so formed) accentuating the spoon-likecharacteristics of the device.

While I contemplate the use of sheet material in making my improvedimplement thus resulting in a typical transverse section, as shown at ain Fig. 7, I may, if desired, make the implement in other ways; forexample, the implement may have a triangular section, as indicated at bin Fig. '7, or a circular section, as shown at c in Fig. 7. In thelatter case the implement may conveniently be made by turning or somesimilar process so that at substantially all transverse sections theimplement is of circular contour.

When, as suggested, the implement is made of some cheap material such aswood, paper, or the like, it may be discarded after one use, thusavoiding the necesity of washing and is of special advantage if theimplement be employed in eating gamishes or other food materials whichhave a strongly characteristic flavor or odor, for instance, bits ofcheese, pickled fish, anchovies, etc.

The mode of using the device is illustrated in Fig. 3, the fingers ofthe user grasping the broad handle 01' the implement, thus affording afirm grip so that its point may be pushed into the cherry C resting atthe bottom of the glass G.

Obviously if the device be made of silver or other metal, its contoursmay be made more dainty and delicate and its surfaces ornamented by anappropriate design, although the same essential features, to wit, thepoint, the shank and the handle will be preserved, and I contemplatethat all modifications in material and in shape and proportion of parts,such as fall within the scope of the appended claims as a part of myinvention.

I claim:

1. An implement of the class described adapted for use in eating thefruit or other solid comestible articles in cocktails and the like, saidimplement comprising a unitary, fiat, sheet-like piece of organicmaterial of substantially uniform thickness formed to have an elongated,narrow, flat shank portion terminating at one end in a widened flathandle portion and at the other end in a. pointed portion adapted toimpale said solid articles, said pointed portion being provided withintegral, laterally disposed article engaging projections adapted toprevent accidental removal of said articles, said projections extendingoutwardly beyond the adjacent shank portion and lying in the planethereof.

2. An implement of the class described adapted for use in eating thefruit or other solid comestible articles in cocktails and the like, saidimplement comprising a unitary, fiat, sheet-like piece of non-metallicmaterial, of substantially uniform thickness formed to have anelongated, narrow, flat shank portion terminating at one end in awidened fiat handle portion and at the other end in a pointed portionadapted to impale said solid articles, said pointed portion beingprovided with integral, laterally disposed article engaging projectionsadapted to prevent accidental removal of said articles, said projectionsbeing formed by extending the two side edges of the pointed portionbeyond the adjacent edges or the shank portion.

JAY J. SINDLER.

are to be regarded

